Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Haha, I’m rocking the bandages too! 🙂 Mine aren't fading at all—if anything, they seem to be getting more noticeable. 🙂 I'm crossing my fingers that yours goes down soon. Which doctor did you see? I want to make sure I steer clear of them!

Melissa Thomas35 said:I'll let you know. Have you dealt with this before? I didn't have any bruising or swelling, and I felt like I was recovering perfectly fine, until I took the bandage off today and totally shocked myself.
At this rate, I'll probably be walking around town covered in bandages for a few months until this finally settles down. 🙂

I went to a private specialist to handle the functional stuff and some aesthetic work on the side, and it ended up costing me $15,000. 🙂

Nicole Ortiz34 said:I'm taking Advil too, haha... 🙂 nothing seems to touch mine; if anything, it’s just getting worse... 🙂 Fingers crossed yours works out. Which doctor are we talking about? I'd like to know who to avoid...

Thanks. I've got my fingers crossed for you, too. It feels wrong to start badmouthing a doctor when I don't even know what the final outcome will be yet... but if things stay this way, I'll let you all know immediately. Though, I am out in Indianapolis!

Let me know as soon as you head in for your appointment. There are a few of us dealing with this back stuff too, so I'm really curious to hear what the doctor says. 😂 P.s. Fingers crossed for you!

Melissa Thomas35 said:Thanks. I'm crossing my fingers for you too. It feels a bit silly to be complaining about the doctor when I don't even know what the final results are going to look like yet. But if things stay this way, I'll definitely give you guys a heads-up. Though, keep in mind, I'm over here in Indianapolis!

Hey ladies,

So, I’m finally thinking about pulling the trigger on nose surgery myself. Honestly, I feel like I've already scrolled through about 400 pages of debate on this topic, so I might actually know what I'm getting into by now... 😁
I’m looking specifically at my nasal tip. My profile is actually pretty great, but my alar cartilages are kind of split at the tip, which makes my nose look a bit clefted... 😢

Has anyone else dealt with this specific issue and actually had a successful outcome?

And more importantly, which doctor should I be looking at for this kind of work?

I’m torn between two names: Dr. Munitic or Milenovic?! Or maybe even Zambelli? 😕

Thanks a bunch....

Hey everyone, I have another quick question! 🙂

Has anyone here had any experience working with Dr. Munitic?
If you have, please, if you could take a moment to briefly share your thoughts and maybe send some photos via DM 🙂.
He used to work at Mercury (not sure if he still does) and also at the Dr. Toncic Clinic near the fish pond in Chicago.

Do you think his prices are way too high? (And please, feel free to add your own good or bad experiences too).
- Initial consultation: $133
- Rhinoplasty: $12,000 - $14,000 $0.00.

So far, I haven't seen many posts about him, but what little I have found was positive, which suddenly made him catch my eye. He seems like a real expert, and honestly, my biggest fear is just having my nasal function messed up during surgery, since everything works fine right now 🙂.

Good people, waiting for your replies!! 😁

I'm feeling a bit bored, so what should I 😁
I wanted to ask you all: has anyone noticed their nose actually getting shorter after their island procedure?
Most people say the nose will completely change its look in a month or two (honestly, I’m really hoping for that!), but my biggest concern right now is the length... my columella is positioned so low, and it looks quite unflattering. Is there any chance it will lift at all? Specifically, do you think that columella might become a bit thinner than it is currently?
The surgeon used an open technique and inserted cartilage, but the columella stayed far too low, leaving the tip of my nose looking like a downward-pointing triangle 😢😢>

Are you unsure what you mean exactly? One of the things that's left me feeling pretty unsatisfied with my surgery is that my nose actually dropped and elongated quite a bit over the last five weeks. I was honestly under the impression it would shrink back down over time. 😢I don't want to scare you off—this is just my experience, and maybe yours will be totally different.
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Kimberly Hughes17 said:I’m feeling a bit bored, so I figured 😁
I’d ask if anyone else has noticed their nose shortening after the swelling goes down?
Most people say the nose will look completely different in a month or two (which I am really, really hoping for!), but the length is what's really bothering me... my columella sits very low now and it looks pretty unflattering. Is there any chance it will lift at all? Specifically, will that columella end up looking any thinner than it does right now?
They used an open technique and did a cartilage graft, but the columella stayed way too low, so now the tip of my nose looks like a triangle pointing downwards. 😢😢

Nicole Ortiz34 said:She isn't quite sure what you mean? Well, one thing that hasn't left me satisfied with my surgery is how much my nose has dropped over the last five weeks and stretched out. I honestly thought it would shrink back down over time. 😢 I don't want to scare you—this is just my experience, and maybe yours will be different.

This part really scares me. My nose actually looked its shortest right after the cast was removed... but since then, it just keeps getting longer and longer. To be fair, the tip looks okay from a profile view (even though I feel it should have been lifted a bit more), but from the front, it looks like the tip has dropped. It’s not even the tip itself, but that area connecting the nostrils. I think it's called a "drooping columella," which is actually one of the main reasons people get these surgeries in the first place, right?🙂
I am desperately hoping everything will just shrink and pull back into place, and maybe the scarring will help with that... but I'm just not so sure.
Did they use any cartilage grafting to lift your tip?

Nicole Ortiz34 said:Haha, I’m using nasal strips too! 🙂 Mine don't even seem to work—if anything, things just feel more congested. 🙂 Fingers crossed yours actually do the trick. Which doctor are we talking about? Just want to make sure I steer clear if I can.

It's me again... 😁
Are those special strips your doctor prescribes, or can you just grab them at any local pharmacy?
I have to be back at work 10 days after my surgery (while I'm still recovering at the hospital). 🙂 I haven't had the procedure yet—it's for a deviated septum and some rhinoplasty stuff—but it should be happening in a day or two. I'll definitely post an update on how it goes for anyone else going through this later on.🙂

Rachel Rivera19 said:I think I read something about blowing your nose too... I can't remember which page. I don't know if there was a specific note saying you shouldn't touch your nose at all for, say, several months. I honestly don't understand how anyone would even think to blow their nose just 10 days after surgery. Mine is constantly running, but that’s why I use these swabs.

What is this talk about not being allowed to touch your nose at all for several months?? And that you aren't supposed to blow it 10 days after the procedure??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since my fifth day, I've been blowing my nose regularly and completely normally. If I hadn't done that, I don't know how I would have cleared out everything I blew out, and I've been breathing perfectly since the sixth day without any congestion. Today is my 12th day post-op and my breathing is fine..
How am I supposed to not touch my nose for a month?? Even the doctor had to touch it when he was removing the cast... I wash it (on the outside) gently with a cotton swab and apply cream—very lightly, obviously, because the skin is so dry.. I might have touched it a bit more firmly a couple of times, but some experienced girls told me it wouldn't be an issue since a nose isn't made of paper, and now it turns out I'm not even allowed to touch it?! What, is a light touch going to make it warp or change shape? I don't get it..🤷

Has anyone else dealt with this issue following surgery? I realize it’s still very early days, but I honestly find it hard to believe the columella will lift up by 4-5 mm. It just seems impossible, doesn't it?
If anyone has faced this exact situation, could you please share your experiences? What steps did you take, when did you take them, and how did you handle it?

wanderingnomad13 said:What kind of claims are these, saying you can't even touch your nose for several months?? Or that you shouldn't blow your nose for ten days after surgery??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since my fifth day, I’ve been blowing my nose quite normally. If I hadn't, there's no way I would have cleared out all that congestion, and I haven't breathed this perfectly since the sixth day—not a single drip. Today is my 12th day post-op, and breathing is absolutely fine..
How am I supposed to leave my nose alone for a month?? Even my doctor had to touch it while removing the splint... I clean it (externally) gently with a cotton swab and apply cream, being careful because the skin is so dry.. I might have been a bit too heavy-handed a few times, but the experienced girls told me not to worry since the nose isn't made of paper. Now it turns out I'm not even allowed to touch it?! What, is a light touch going to cause it to warp or shift? It makes no sense..🤷

Nothing's going to happen to you. She probably just meant you shouldn't blow your nose the way people who haven't had surgery do—you know, just going at it wildly, haha.

Mine was actually shorter right after they took the splints off, too!🙂I ended up getting my whole nose resized, but honestly, it wasn't exactly a success for me.😢Maybe it looks a bit saggy because of the incision? Have you checked back in with your doctor yet? How long has it been since your surgery?

Kimberly Hughes17 said:This whole thing is really freaking me out. My nose was at its shortest right after the cast came off... but ever since then, it just keeps getting longer and longer. To be fair, the tip looks okay from the profile view (even though I think it should have been lifted a bit more), but when you look at it from the front, it looks like the tip is drooping. Actually, it's not even the tip itself, it's that part where the nostrils meet—I think it's called a "hanging columella," which is basically one of the main reasons people get surgery in the first place.🙂
I'm really crossing my fingers that everything will just shrink back down and tighten up, and maybe the scar tissue will actually help pull things together... but I'm just not feeling super confident about it.
Did they use a cartilage graft to lift your tip?

I wore those splints the doctor gave me for a few days, but now I’m just doing it on my own to hide this hideous bump on my nose 🙂 Good luck with your surgery! 🙂

restlesspuma15 said:Me again 😁
Are those special splints that the doctor prescribes, or can you just pick them up at a pharmacy?
I have to be back at work 10 days after my surgery (while staying at the Mayo Clinic) 🙂 I haven't had my surgery yet (septum deviation + rhinoplasty), but it should be happening in a day or two. I'll definitely share my experience for everyone else coming after me 🙂

Rachel Vaughn85 said:Hey everyone, just had one more quick question! 🙂

Has anyone here actually been to see Dr. Munitic?
If you have any experiences at all, please take a second to share them—feel free to slide into my DMs with photos too 🙂
He used to work at Mercury (not sure if he's still there), and also at the MM clinic over in the Indianapolis area.

Do you guys think his prices are a bit steep? (And definitely let me know about your actual experiences, whether they were great or totally awful)
- Initial consultation: $133
- Nose job: from 12,000 - 14 $0.00 .

So far I haven't stumbled upon many posts about him, but the few I did find were pretty positive, which suddenly made him pop up on my radar. He seems like a total pro, and honestly, my biggest worry is just making sure the surgery doesn't mess with my breathing, since everything works fine right now 🙂

Good people, waiting on your repliesyyy! 😁

I'm actually really interested in him too, so I'm dying to read some comments... His pricing seems alright, pretty much average...

I'm planning on heading in for consultations with both him and Milenovic...

So, I’m back from my checkup. The doctor told me it’s just some bone callus that formed right where the fracture was. He said it’ll likely stay like this for a few months, and if it doesn't shrink down... well, then I'm looking at a second surgery. Not exactly the news I was hoping for.🙂
Just as an aside, my nose looks like a complete disaster.

silverorca6 said:I have some questions for the folks on this forum who've already had their surgery:

How would you describe how you're feeling 20 days post-op? Would you say a person could handle a one-hour commute home on public transit—you know, in one of those cramped, airless subway cars where you can't even open the windows, and if you actually manage to, the draft is absolutely brutal?

Well, it all boils down to what kind of procedure you actually had and how your own body handles things—recovery is never one-size-fits-all.🤷
Personally, I was back at work after just 15 days😉 and my recovery went pretty smoothly overall (they used a closed technique for mine).

silverorca6 said:If you had the choice and someone offered you a recovery at a spa resort, how many days would you stay there?

At least two—but honestly, mostly just so I could get a break from everyone else and the kids.🤣 Though, if I'm being realistic, I think two weeks would be the sweet spot.😁

silverorca6 said:Why do you think Blanka Vlasic could get a nose like that through the public system in any hospital in our depressing country?

I don't just think it—I know it, because I see the evidence in myself.
(In my case, it was at Dubrava KB)🙏 😉

Melissa Thomas35 said:So, I’m back from my checkup. The doctor says it's basically just a bone callus that formed right where the break was. He told me it’ll probably hang around for a few months—and if it doesn't shrink down, I'm looking at a second surgery. Not exactly the news I wanted to hear.🙂
By the way, my nose is looking like an absolute disaster.

😲 Man, I feel for them—really do—but hey, fingers crossed it all works out. 😉
For me—I mean, it’s not totally gone yet—but it’s definitely winding down.

Hello everyone 🙂>
I’m new to the forum—though I’ve practically read every single one of your posts already—but I just couldn't quite bring myself to start typing until now. There is one thing on my mind: I am looking into getting a hump removed from my nose and slimming down the tip. I would be incredibly grateful if anyone who has actually gone through this could reach out to me with some details. One thing is really weighing on me, though—I’ve noticed quite a few of you mentioning that the hump eventually returned. I’ve been overthinking this surgery for ages, but I finally sent out a few inquiries to private clinics and am currently waiting for replies, even though I've already made up my mind about which surgeon I want. I suppose your positive accounts regarding the actual procedure and the pain levels have somewhat "convinced" me—which is saying something, as this would be my first surgery and I tend to be rather apprehensive about hospitals and doctors. 🙂

wanderingnomad13 said:What is this nonsense about not being allowed to touch my nose at all for several months?? Or that I can't blow my nose for ten days after surgery??

Tell me if I've got this wrong, but since my fifth day, I've been blowing my nose just fine like anyone else. If I hadn't, there's no way I could have cleared everything out... I've been breathing perfectly since the sixth day without any congestion. Today is day 12 post-op and my breathing is totally normal..
How am I supposed to not touch my nose for a month?? Even the doctor had to touch it while removing the splint... I wash it (on the outside) gently with a cotton swab and apply cream—very lightly, obviously, because the skin there is so dry.. I might have been a little too "rough" a few times, and then some experienced girls tell me it’s no big deal because my nose isn't made of paper, but now apparently I'm not even allowed to touch it?! What, is a light touch going to make it warp or change shape? It makes no sense..🤷

wanderingnomad13, I second everything you said. My doctor told me as soon as the splint came off on day ten that I could start blowing my nose again.